Big Gulp, Meet Big Brother

[iris lily]

So, what is your opinion of the law requiring calorie counts on menu items? ...

.... But without this information, we are just victims of ignorance.

It's bogus. More gooberment interference and dictatorship.

You can pile all of the lettuce greens that you want on a dish made with multiple cheeses, walnuts, croutons, cranberries & etc. and call it "salad" but guess what--it's still a 1,000 calorie salad. I don't need a goon from D.C. to tell me that.

Mainly, I can't imagine how small restaurants that produce each day dishes that are different come up with calorie counts. I hope there is some relaxing of the rules for independents who don't churn out the same drek each day. Kills creativity and ability to use what is fresh that day.

But I have to confess that I do use the nutrition information on the back of packaged foods and that is a Nanny state mandate, so sure, I've benefited from some of it. But enough already.

[Gregg]

Calm down Gregg, and finish your Big Gulp.
(just kidding......)

Lol...I actually do go through a lot of big gulps in the summer. Every one filled with good old unsweetened Lipton iced tea.

[CathyA]

I just knew you were a Big Gulper Gregg.
Unsweetened iced tea is fine in Big Gulps! (But yuk without the sugar! haha)

[peggy]

Well, yes! I am personally outraged that politicians at any level would even consider wasting time trying to make personal choices for me. .

So..you are solidly pro-choice and pro-gay marriage! Good to know!

[Gregg]

So..you are solidly pro-choice and pro-gay marriage! Good to know!

Absolutely yes I am, always have been. Abortion is between a woman and her God, not me (unless I am the father, of course). My brother is gay and has been in a committed relationship with his partner, who I absolutely adore, for 15 years. They love each other very much and I think it is ridiculous that anyone says they can not have the same benefit of a formalized union that my wife and I are afforded.

Peggy, there are quite a few of us out here that are social liberals, constitutional patriots and fiscal conservatives. I suspect that will be apparent, along with the priorities we independents wish our political leaders to hold, come November 6. Hint: I don't see the social issues winning the election for anyone.

[Gregg]

I just knew you were a Big Gulper Gregg.
Unsweetened iced tea is fine in Big Gulps! (But yuk without the sugar! haha)

My family in the south would probably disown me if they read that I drink UN-sweet tea. Shhh.....

[Float On]

I'm a half gulper - 1/2sweet and 1/2 unsweet.

[bae]

Peggy, there are quite a few of us out here that are social liberals, constitutional patriots and fiscal conservatives.

Indeed. It is a shame both the Democrats and the Republicans have abandoned us.

I want the government out of my bedroom, out of my kitchen, out of my garden, and out of my wallet.

[razz]

Thought that you might find this http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2...n-obesity.html article on Canada's CBC interesting on the social costs of the sugar fix being discussed. The sugar fix is contributing to obesity and diabetes for which everyone pays a high price not just the one drinking the sugar dose.

Just as the financial world seemingly believes that it should be able to privatize profits but socialize losses, so some believe that one should be able to privatize whatever one eats/drinks but expect to socialize the healthcare costs of doing so. No matter who or how healthcare is paid, there is a huge cost for obesity. Interesting way of thinking?


Quote:


Sometimes the cause is beyond the control of the individual, as with a thyroid condition.

But in the vast majority of cases, the cause is over-consumption of over-processed, high-sugar, ultimately toxic food.

According to the latest data from the federal Centers for Disease Control, 35.7 per cent of American adults — more than 78 million — are obese; about 41 million women and 37 million men. Among adolescent boys, 18.6 per cent are obese. The figure for young girls is 15 per cent.

About two-thirds of American adults are just plain overweight. (Obesity is defined as a body mass index, a mixture of height and weight, over 30. Anyone with a BMI over 25 is overweight.)

And yet efforts by U.S. President Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, to fight childhood obesity by encouraging healthier eating have been widely ridiculed by conservatives here, many of whom are plenty fat themselves. Step right up, Rush Limbaugh.

Channelling millions of his listeners, Limbaugh blasted the president’s wife for suggesting Americans eat "cardboard and tofu … roots, and berries and tree bark," and howled with glee when she and her family were spotted dining on ribs in a restaurant.

"It doesn't look like Michelle Obama follows her own nutritionary, dietary advice," he declared, insinuating that she could stand to lose a few pounds, too.

"I'm trying to say that our first lady does not project the image of women that you might see on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit Issue."

Yes. Well. Michelle Obama is a swan, compared to Limbaugh and millions of other obese Americans.

That’s not the point, though. If obesity was just some jolly extra poundage, a harmless sign of prosperity, it wouldn’t be an issue.

But it's not.

High cost of obesity

Again, according to the Centres for Disease Control, obesity is directly related to heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, and, of course, Type 2 diabetes, which is becoming an epidemic here. Those conditions kill.

In 2008 (and things have worsened somewhat since then), medical costs related to obesity were about $147 billion. The medical costs to third-party payers (mostly health insurance companies or government programs such as Medicare or Medicaid) for people who are obese are $1,429 higher than for people of normal weight.

What Limbaugh and the get-your-government-hands-off-my-jelly-doughnuts crowd are really saying is that they not only have the right to get fat, but the cost of their over-indulgence should also be disproportionately borne by everybody else — hardly a conservative position.

[Alan]

....What Limbaugh and the get-your-government-hands-off-my-jelly-doughnuts crowd are really saying is that they not only have the right to get fat, but the cost of their over-indulgence should also be disproportionately borne by everybody else — hardly a conservative position.

Actually, I believe the conservative position is that government should get their hands off my jelly doughnuts, and my health care. Problem solved!